Frederick receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
La Plata
Frederick
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs64 · Top 33%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
76 · Top 25%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | La Plata | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,683 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,208 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,175 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,338/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $428,400 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,559 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 513 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -65.6% | -56.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 40.9 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.76 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.7% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.5% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.9% | 51.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
La Plata
Elevated or high exposure: drought.
Frederick
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: La Plata, MD · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology